Breer has his Tale of the Tape up--best analysis will probably get this year of a Patriots game.
http://cowboys.beloblog.com/archives/2007/10/tale_of_the_tape_1.html#more
Tale of the Tape
Time to close the book on the Patriots game. Here's some things caught on tape:
In my opinion, the way for the Cowboys defense to control the Patriots was to hit Tom Brady, and do it by mixing pressure packages. It worked near the beginning of the game, when Roy Williams came off the edge on the Pats' second play from scrimmage and forced a short-armed throw to create a third-and-10. But later in the drive, the Cowboys paid. On a third-and-7, the Cowboys sent five guys – rushing an inside linebacker and dropping Greg Ellis, a converted end. That left Ellis on Wes Welker. Welker ran a slant and Brady hit him quickly, as he raced into the window created by the rushing ILB. And Ellis couldn’t catch him, as Welker headed upfield for a 20-yard gain to put the Patriots at the Dallas 6. From there, the Cowboys continued to send extra rushers, but were less creative about it, usually incorporating the outside linebackers and making it easier for the Patriot linemen to identify.
Here was another problem with stopping the Patriots passing game: The check-with-me’s that Brady is allowed to call. When the Cowboys rush was coming, in plenty of cases, the corners were playing about 8 yards off the ball. So Brady could easily check to have his receivers run underneath routes, and easily collect the ball. If the Cowboys had rerouted his receivers closer to the line, it would’ve been risky, but also would’ve given the rush a better chance to get there and could’ve messed with the timing-based offense. The strategy on Randy Moss seemed a little different; the Cowboys played further up on him and usually had S Ken Hamlin stationed over-the-top to help. But in some nickel situations, that left Patrick Watkins to play, in essence, what looked like a single-high safety and those looked like the cases where the Patriots took advantage with Donte’ Stallworth and Welker.
lots more...
http://cowboys.beloblog.com/archives/2007/10/tale_of_the_tape_1.html#more
Tale of the Tape
Time to close the book on the Patriots game. Here's some things caught on tape:
In my opinion, the way for the Cowboys defense to control the Patriots was to hit Tom Brady, and do it by mixing pressure packages. It worked near the beginning of the game, when Roy Williams came off the edge on the Pats' second play from scrimmage and forced a short-armed throw to create a third-and-10. But later in the drive, the Cowboys paid. On a third-and-7, the Cowboys sent five guys – rushing an inside linebacker and dropping Greg Ellis, a converted end. That left Ellis on Wes Welker. Welker ran a slant and Brady hit him quickly, as he raced into the window created by the rushing ILB. And Ellis couldn’t catch him, as Welker headed upfield for a 20-yard gain to put the Patriots at the Dallas 6. From there, the Cowboys continued to send extra rushers, but were less creative about it, usually incorporating the outside linebackers and making it easier for the Patriot linemen to identify.
Here was another problem with stopping the Patriots passing game: The check-with-me’s that Brady is allowed to call. When the Cowboys rush was coming, in plenty of cases, the corners were playing about 8 yards off the ball. So Brady could easily check to have his receivers run underneath routes, and easily collect the ball. If the Cowboys had rerouted his receivers closer to the line, it would’ve been risky, but also would’ve given the rush a better chance to get there and could’ve messed with the timing-based offense. The strategy on Randy Moss seemed a little different; the Cowboys played further up on him and usually had S Ken Hamlin stationed over-the-top to help. But in some nickel situations, that left Patrick Watkins to play, in essence, what looked like a single-high safety and those looked like the cases where the Patriots took advantage with Donte’ Stallworth and Welker.
lots more...
